1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in the imposition of flight loads on and the control of launch vehicles, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an arrangement which uses the positioning of a payload and flight control means that it carries to assist in the control of the associated launch vehicle as it carries the payload aloft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present the flight vehicle that is used to carry a payload from the surface of the earth to a desired altitude is commonly a launch vehicle that is powered by a plurality of rocket engines. The thrust of the launch vehicle may also be aided by separable rocket boosters which are detachable from the launch vehicle when expended. Launch vehicles are typically controlled during atmospheric ascent by controlled gimballing of their rocket engines or other means of thrust vectoring. In some instances where additional control authority of the launch vehicle is required, fins and other control surfaces on the aft end of the launch vehicle are used.
With the advent of non-encapsulated spaceplane payloads with a lifting body or winged design, the airloads created at the front end during atmospheric flight will be significantly higher than for a traditional payload that is encapsulated in a fairing designed to generate minimum airloads. Such a configuration causes the bending moments along the vehicle and the required rocket engine gimbal angles to be excessive when conventional control is used. Instead of carrying those loads and the resulting weight, performance and cost penalties, it is believed that the present invention will reduce those loads to a minimum and permit achievement of the optimal design for the coupled launch vehicle and coupled spaceplane.